books that build community (part 1)
understanding psychology + storytelling help deepen connections
Making sense of this crazy world can start in many places. One of my favorite paths to thoughtful solutions is through books. Social media and online news offer quick bites, hot takes, and immediate reactions, but it's hard to go deep in those formats and forums.
Books offer a more in-depth and often more well-researched thesis built over a longer period and with help from editors and publishers. I find them a much more calming and grounded way to think about innovative, effective, and intentional ways to be better stewards of our neighbors and communities.
In a time when loneliness, polarization, and disconnection are shaping our culture, books can offer a way back to each other. As I rounded up a list of books related to community building, they fell into two categories (and the post got pretty long), so I’ve separated the list into two parts.
The titles below explore how humans act in groups. They examine the psychology of belonging and communication so we can approach the division of tribalism in many of our communities with an informed view about how to manage it and work through it most effectively.
In the second post of the series, I’ll share a handful of books with a more tactical focus on rebuilding neighborhood bonds, fostering friendships and connections, and taking action that matters.
📚 Understanding Human Psychology & Connection
These books help us understand how people form relationships, why we act the way we do in groups, and how to use storytelling, empathy, and design to connect across differences.
1. Story or Die by Lisa Cron
Cron shows that storytelling is more than communication; it’s how humans are wired to make sense of the world. Her brain-based approach to narrative reveals how to craft stories that bypass resistance, build empathy, and drive change.
📌 Why it matters for building community: Whether you’re rallying neighbors, building trust, or launching a civic initiative, a well-told story helps people believe in your vision and join in.
✅ Read it: So interesting! Lots of tangible suggestions to tell your story or share your call to action in a way that aligns with your audience’s existing worldview (instead of trying to change their minds).
2. Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI by Yuval Noah Harari
Harari examines the evolution of human information networks, from oral traditions to digital algorithms, showing how they shape societies, relationships, and power dynamics.
📌 Why it matters for building community: Understanding the role of information networks helps communities create more resilient, transparent, and equitable systems of communication, which are essential for navigating our digital age without losing local connection and trust.
✅ Read it: So good I wrote a whole post about it. Check it out here!
3. The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt
Haidt explores how morality is shaped by emotion and intuition, not just logic, and why people with different values talk past each other.
📌 Why it matters for building community: It helps bridge divides, foster respectful dialogue, and focus on shared values. It’s crucial in polarized spaces where we try to work together and compromise.
✅ Read it: I read this book years ago and think about it at least once a week. Haidt offers some fascinating research on why conservatives and liberals struggle so much to understand each other’s perspectives.
4. Palaces for the People by Eric Klinenberg
Sociologist Klinenberg introduces the concept of “social infrastructure,” which includes places like libraries, parks, and community centers that physically and socially support strong communities.
📌 Why it matters for building community: It makes the case for investing in shared spaces that create connection, resilience, and equity, especially during times of crisis.
📋 On my TBR list: Yes to third spaces!! And you know I have a special place in my heart for libraries. 💛
5. Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World by Vivek Murthy
Written by the U.S. Surgeon General, this book compassionately examines loneliness as a public health issue and the science and stories that show how connection heals.
📌 Why it matters for building community: It offers strategies for reducing isolation and fostering a culture of belonging in our neighborhoods, workplaces, and civic spaces.
📋 On my TBR list: I love a good mix of science and stories to convey a message on a deeper level.
6. How to Know a Person by David Brooks
A gentle, reflective guide on seeing and understanding others beyond surface-level interactions, rooted in empathy and moral imagination.
📌 Why it matters for building community: Helps cultivate the deeper one-on-one connections that fuel larger networks of care and collaboration.
📋 On my TBR list: Deep connections are the glue that holds larger groups together.
want a printable book list?
📚 I’ve created a printable list of these books (if you’re interested) that you can take to the library or save for later. It includes the books above and the books on Part 2 of this list. Hop over here to drop your email in the form, and I’ll send the book list to your inbox in no time.
what am i missing?
Have you read anything else in this genre that I should check out? Share the books in the comments!
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All links to books are affiliate links (that support independent bookstores). If your local library offers the book, be sure to borrow it! If you choose to buy it through a link above, thanks for supporting my work. 🫶🏼